Fantasy football analyst Hayden Winks has taken a different stance from the Yahoo consensus in his Week 3 rankings, adjusting the value of several players either notably higher or lower. His weekly insights, known as The Blueprint, offer a fresh look on players whose roles and performances are shifting early in the NFL season.
Tight end Terrance Ferguson of the Rams tops Winks’s list of players he values more. After Puka Nacua’s absence in Week 2, Ferguson’s role expanded dramatically, running routes on 71 percent of Matthew Stafford’s dropbacks and commanding 30 percent of targets. Ferguson recorded 13.0 expected half PPR points and caught a touchdown on a coverage breakdown. Winks ranks Ferguson 8th compared to the Yahoo average of 24th, reflecting a 16-spot jump. He calls Ferguson a “must-hold” despite some drops, emphasizing the player’s upside even if Nacua returns. Winks suggests the tight end could be a top-5 fantasy option without Nacua and a worthwhile waiver wire target if available.
Running back Jaylen Warren also earns a boost in Winks’s rankings. Warren has outperformed Rico Dowdle in all phases this season, excelling in pass protection and receiving. His rushing efficiency is markedly better, with a -1 percent rush yards over expected compared to Dowdle’s -47 percent. Dowdle’s recent toe injury, which forced him out during Week 2, left Warren on the field for 50 of 52 snaps. Winks places Warren 19th on his list, up from the Yahoo consensus of 24th, and highlights the potential for Warren to take on bellcow duties if Dowdle remains sidelined.
Wide receiver Jameson Williams of the Lions sees a six-position rise in Winks’s rankings. The wideout’s first two games have been uneven, but Winks expects improvement with Sam LaPorta healthy, maintaining faith in Williams as a weekly WR3. The Lions face a Jets secondary vulnerable to outside receivers, as evidenced by Christian Watson’s 4 receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown last week. Winks points to the matchup as a chance for Williams to break out, despite the rollercoaster start.
Deebo Samuel Sr. of the 49ers is another player Winks ranks notably higher. Samuel has maintained a 22 percent target share with a low average depth of target at 3.3 yards, participating in screens, backfield plays, and quick outs. The 49ers lost WR3/4 Demarcus Robinson recently, while Mike Evans is listed with a hip issue on the injury report. Winks ranks Samuel 25th compared to the Yahoo average of 36th, arguing that the player’s role remains significant without signs of decline on film.
Rashod Bateman of the Ravens has the most substantial jump in Winks’s rankings, moving 20 spots above Yahoo’s average to 24th. Bateman benefited from Zay Flowers’s hamstring absence and faces a Dallas defense that has shown coverage lapses, including struggles against Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs last week. Winks notes that the Cowboys have lost multiple starters in their back seven since the Giants game, with cornerbacks Daron Bland and Cobie Durant (hamstring) both questionable. With the Ravens projected to score 28 points at home, Bateman’s involvement is expected to increase.
Conversely, Winks is less optimistic about Colts tight end Tyler Warren. While Warren received six of seven targets at or behind the line of scrimmage last week, his opportunities for explosive plays are limited. Despite an open touchdown catch due to a coverage bust, Winks thinks the Colts offense will become congested without Alec Pierce, who is sidelined with a heel injury. He ranks Warren 11th among tight ends, six spots lower than Yahoo’s consensus that placed him 5th.
Winks’s rankings will be updated incrementally leading up to kickoff, with his RB analysis set for Wednesdays and WR and QB/TE/K/DEF versions released on Thursdays. Fantasy managers are advised to check the weekly rankings pages and Sunday morning sit/start shows for the latest insights.
According to Yahoo Sports.